Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-10
GOOD AND PROMPT ACTION.

The Assembly acted with commendable
vigor and spirit when it rejected the Sen
ate amendment to the county government
bill concerning liquor licenses. The bill
provides that the Supervisors shall fix
license rates for all business to be licensed.
Why in the name of reason should
liquor ask to be exempted and have
limit put upon the power to tax it while
perfectly free rein is given as to all other
business? But runs is an outlaw-it
always has been, it always will be. 1t
stands with its hands up against society
1t asks exemptions and privileges granted
to no other class of business. 1t was in
keeping, therefore, with all its traditions
that it should come to the Legislature and
ask to be protected against the possibility
of society imposing upon it tax in excess
of S25 per quarter. The amendment of
the Senate, which was but one of several
efforts and schemes of like character, fixed
that sum as the maximum beyond which
counties should not go in taxing liquor
selling for its license permits. The As
sembly refused to be party to such dis
crimination in favor of one business and
against all others-and it acted wisely
Let the liquor business take its place and
risks with all others before the people
What special virtue invests it, that it
should ask to be protected from the legis-
lation of the social organization from
which it derives its revenue? Why do
not the promoters Of the hotel business, of
hardware retailing, of tobacco selling, of
dry goods retailing, of theater running,
and so on, demand that limit be put
upon them? How is it that they should
be left to the mercy of local govern
ment, while liquor selling is hedged
about with legislative redoubts and breast
works? Let the Assembly have due praise
for its action. Its courage in this instance
wipes out multitude of its sins of omis-
sion, and condones many of its sins of COM
mission. It is notable that most
of the San Francisco delegation
voted to curb society in the interest of the
saloon. This was to have been expected
that delegation knows to whom it owes al
legiance first, and it does obeisance where
it is due. In the face of the great agita-
ton now stirring New York to its center,
in favor Of such restriction that there
shall not be more than a dozen
saloons per head to the population, this
effort to foster business that always has
been able to take care of itself and run
large section of political machinery be-
sides, savors of the inpudent. In the face
of the fiat Endorsement of high license by
that most powerful Of all commercial bod
les, the New York Chamber of Commerce,
and in which the chief wholesale liquor
dealers of the nations metropolis have
seats, this effort to legislate in advance
against possible high license in California,
was confession Of fear that it was the part
Of shortsightedness to make. No one is
elamoring now for high license in this
State, but the action that proposed to fore
stall it, win tend to precipitate such agita-
ton. The wiser and cooler-headed men in
the liquor business deplored the effort re-
ferred to, and are not to be classed with
the foolish few who drove the Assembly
TO corner. The former are content to
stand upon the same plane with other bust
ness msn; the latter thought to gain
temporary exemption from the common lot
of taxpayers. The Assembly has by deci-
sive vote rebuked them and done itself
everlasting honor